Woah dude, I haven't updated in about a week. Well, it turns out that balancing finals week with writing fanfiction is simply something I'm not cut out to do. As a result, I took a little vacation from writing. Now that I am finished with my semester, however, I can resurrect this bad boy. Thanks for being patient, fellas. Hope you enjoy this one.


"Thanks for helping me pick out a book, MC," Monika said as the two of them walked up the stairs together. "I think the club is really going to like this one."

"No problem, Monika," MC replied, easily balancing a stack of five small paperbacks. "Though I'm not certain if a romance novel will be something we can gather a lot of literary meaning out of."

"Don't knock it until you try it," she giggled. "I used to think like that, too, then I actually started reading them. They really help me know what I'm fighting for," she sighed dreamily, leaning her head on MC's shoulder.

The sudden weight knocked MC's balance off. He stumbled, and only a minor miracle prevented him from dropping the books. "Woah, Monika! Careful!"

"Oh!" Monika exclaimed, jolting her head back. "My bad! I guess I'm just have my head in the clouds today."

"I can see that," MC responded. "You're reminding me more and more of Sayori every day."

"Love is funny like that, MC," Monika giggled. "I hope you find that out one day, too."

"Perhaps I will," MC replied, silently hoping for the same.

"I can't wait for the club meeting," Monika declared as she entered the room. "It's going to be-"

Monika stopped mid-sentence. The plethora of desks that usually occupied the classroom were gone. Instead, there were only five. They were arranged in lines: three parallel to the other two. Occupying the center of these was Natsuki. She was leaning her elbows on the table, propping her head up with the back of her hands. It was not all that dissimilar to the pose Monika had adopted when confronting the player. Natsuki's expression, however, was much less joyous. Upon locking eyes with the two-eyes that resonated with an almost authoritarian inquisition-, her lips curled into an accusing frown.

"Oh crap. I think I can wait for this meeting," Monika whispered.

"Hey, you two," Natsuki greeted coolly. "So glad you're here; now we can start the club meeting. I made cupcakes," she informed in a tone that sounded like, though she then gestured to the front of the classroom. On the teacher's desk lied a plate filled with delectable cupcakes.

Monika gulped, sweat already beginning to bead on her forehead. "H-hey, Natsuki. Where did all of the desks go?"

Natsuki smiled smugly, drumming her fingers against one another. "I figured it would be good for us to have a little space to talk."

Monika took a step back, nearly falling over onto MC in the process, and flashed an embarrassed smile. "And what would we be talking about, exactly?"

Natsuki raised an eyebrow. "I think you know what we're talking about. Sit down."

MC stepped forward, placing a protective arm in front of Monika. "What's going on, Natsuki?" he inquired, knowing damn well what actually was going on. Still, he thought playing dumb wouldn't hurt.

But Natsuki knew better. "Don't act like you have no idea. You and Monika are both up to something. Now please, sit down."

However, there was an awkward pause, as if Natsuki wasn't expecting something else to occur. She dropped her authoritative demeanor for a moment, glancing toward the closet out of curiosity. Ultimately, her brow furrowed in frustration.

"I said, sit down," she repeatedly loudly.

The closet door suddenly flew open, and out stepped Sayori and Yuri.

"Whoops!" Sayori interjected, her face adorned with a silly smile. "Sorry about that, I was lost in thought again."

Yuri, her Portrait of Markov in hand, glanced away nervously. "I was too busy reading, s-sorry Natsuki."

Natsuki huffed. "Whatever, just get over here."

"This is not how I envisioned my day," Monika groaned as the other two literature club members took their seats. Sayori sat to Natsuki's left, while Yuri took her right. Natsuki beckoned Monika and MC to sit in the remaining seats.

Monika and MC glanced at each other. "We don't have to do this, Monika," MC offered nervously. "They can't make us si-"

Monika shook her head, resolve returning to her face. "No, no, it's OK," she sighed, then gently pushed MC into the room. "If she wants to know so bad, then we can tell her."

MC gulped, but made no effort to protest. "OK, then."

The two of them each snatched a cupcake from the teacher's desk and took a seat. Setting the stack of books aside, MC munched on his cupcake, but Monika only poked awkwardly at hers. Her fretful thoughts had evaporated somewhat. Now, she met Natsuki's investigative expression with uneasy compliance.

"Alright, Monika. What's going on?"

Monika bit into her cupcake, still eyeing Natsuki. "We're in a video game," she explained, not missing a beat.

"A video game?" Yuri questioned incredulously. "Whatever do you mean, Monika? We can't be in a video game."

"Yeah," Sayori added. "Everything feels so real. How could a video game make so much possible?"

"Of course everything feels real," Monika explained, finishing off her treat with the second bite. "You've lived it all your life."

"So you're saying that Natsuki isn't crazy?" Sayori asked, only to receive an elbow to the ribs. "Ow!"

"She's not crazy," MC confirmed. "The world we live in is a bunch of code, but it's well-crafted enough to function like a real one."

"Ha!" Natsuki exclaimed triumphantly. "I knew it!"

Her joy was short-lived, however. The answer she received only opened up more questions. Her smile faded, replaced with a troublesome frown, then slight panic in her eyes. "Then we're not real, are we?"

"I didn't say that," Monika replied. "I said the world was not real. We are the characters that make it up, not the world itself."

"That doesn't really answer my question, though," Sayori pointed out. "Are we real?"

Monika shrugged. "I'd say so. There was a time when I wouldn't have thought you three were, but I've come around to thinking otherwise," she said, an ounce of regret in her voice.

"Ooohhhh. Yay! I'm real!" Sayori laughed.

Yuri, however, merely shook her head. Her expression was one of annoyance, but there seemed to be something else in there as well, something conflicting within her. "This sort of plot has been done to death in the horror genre, Monika. You're going to need to be more original than that."

"It's not a story, Yuri," Monika insisted calmly. "It's just a harsh truth."

"Prove it, then!" Yuri exclaimed suddenly, smashing her fist on the desk. Her widened eyes locked with the rest of the group, revealing the confusion and worry dancing within. After a few seconds of silence, she exhaled anxiously, regaining control of herself. "S-sorry, this is a lot to take in. I want to believe you, I really do, but it all appears so impossible. I hope you can understand

Monika smiled softly. "It's OK, Yuri. I had a similar experience when I first found out. It's one of the reasons I wanted to keep it a secret."

"MC knew about it," Natsuki pointed out. "You didn't do a good job."

"Because the object of the game was for you three to get into his pants!" Monika replied, notable stress in her voice. Just the thought of MC falling in love with any other woman sparked anger and pain within her. "I had to let him know!"

The other three girls all blushed, then turn to MC. His cheeks burned like a forest fire. "Why did you have to tell them that, Monika?" he groaned.

Monika blushed herself, completing the cycle. "Sorry, MC."

"So, we were characters in a cheesy dating sim?" Natsuki questioned.

"Basically."

"And we were meant to fall in love with MC?"

Monika nodded.

"Then why do I feel sickened by the thought?"

"Hey!" MC interjected.

"No offense."

"The script broke long ago," Monika informed. "MC still joined the literature club, and we all wrote poems for the first few days, but then things got a little. . . off-track."

"What do you mean?" Sayori inquired.

Monika turned to look at her. However, she only frowned and turned her attention back to Natsuki. "I gained sentience."

MC gaze flickered to Monika. Nice half-truth, he thought to himself.

Natsuki rose to her feet. "This is a lot to take in, even though I already kinda knew it."

Yuri stood up, though her legs were shaking somewhat. "I-I'm going to make some t-tea."

"I got it, Yuri," Monika assured as she brought up her mod menu. A few taps was all it took to bring a pot of fresh tea into existence. A few more taps popped a teacup, as well. Monika poured some, then offered the beverage to Yuri. "Here you go."

Yuri stared down at the newly-spawned teacup, then back at Monika, then back at the teacup again. Her shock only deepened, and without warning, she fainted onto the floor.

Sayori stood up and rushed over to help her fallen friend. She carefully dragged Yuri's body to the nearest wall and propped her up against it. Then, she joined the other three, an uneasy anxiety building within her as well.

Monika shot an individual glance at each of the other three, then exhaled deeply. "I think all three of you need some time to gather our thoughts on this matter. What do you say we cancel the club meetings for the rest of the week, alright?"

Natsuki and Sayori nodded at each other. "It's probably for the best," Sayori answered. "I. . . I don't really know how to feel about this, yet."

Monika placed a calming hand on Sayori's shoulder, but her attention still seemed to be divided equally between the two. "Whatever you three think, just remember that nothing is any different than it has been before. We're still here, the literature club is still here, and this world will continue on as usual."

Sayori nodded. "That's. . . That's true, I guess. I think I'm going to make sure Yuri is OK, though."

Natsuki nodded. "Yeah, we really should. Why don't you two lovebirds just get out of here? I really need to think this through."

"We're not exactly lovebirds," MC corrected.

"Not yet, anyway," Monika tried to joke. She was the only one that managed to force a chuckle, though.

"Whatever," Natsuki acknowledged, but she did allow a genuine, if small, smile. "Thanks for finally telling us, Monika. I know now that it wasn't easy."

"I think I should be the one thanking you," Monika retorted. "The truth had to come out sooner or later. Thank you for forcing my hand."

Natsuki winked. "It's what I do best. See you two next Monday,"

"Of course, see you then."

Monika headed out the door, but MC remained a bit longer. He was on the receiving end of Natsuki's cutesy glare.

"Just so you know, I'm not interested in dating you," Natsuki clarified.

"I wasn't either," MC assured with a nervous chuckle.

Her expression softened. "Good. Now you go out there and show Monika a good time, OK? We both know you mean a lot to her."

MC smiled and shrugged. "I'll try."

Natsuki facepalmed. "Don't try; do."

MC hesitated. "Right, understood."

"Boys are so stupid sometimes," Natsuki muttered under her breath as MC left the room.